It is often necessary to introduce fluids and liquid medications directly into a blood vessel of a patient. A simple intravenous (IV) line is usually acceptable for short term general use. IV lines are typically placed onto a patient's arm and secured with tape. For longer term and more specialized needs, catheters or other devices are used. A catheter is essentially a tube inserted through an incision in the skin into a blood vessel in the patient's body, generally without surgery. Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are frequently used to provide medications or fluids to home care patients over longer periods of time. PICCs may also be used for frequent blood sampling.
A PICC line and similar catheters may remain in place in a patient for several weeks or months. It is important that movement of the catheter be minimized. If the catheter is not secured in place, it may be inadvertently displaced from the intended location. Consequently, medication delivered through the PICC line may then be released at an incorrect position within the blood vessel. Repeated back and forth catheter movement, or pistoning, can cause irritation of the blood vessel, disrupt proper introduction of medications to the patient, and increase the potential for bleeding or infection at the catheter incision site. If extensive movement occurs, the PICC line could even come out of the patient, interrupting delivery of medication and requiring re-insertion, often with hospitalization.
In the past, catheters were simply taped into place on the patient's skin. However, taping is time consuming and labor intensive. Tape also collects bacteria and must be frequently removed and replaced. More importantly, taping is not necessarily effective in securing a catheter in place. Sutures have also been used to attach a catheter to a patient. With sutures, the catheter is stitched onto the skin. Sutures, however, can also be a source of infection, can cause pain and inflammation, and can make it more difficult to clean around the incision site. Sutures also require time and skill to place, and can cause scarring.
More recently, manufactured catheter anchors or securing devices have come into more widespread use. These devices are specifically designed to secure specific catheters in place. While various designs have been used, these devices generally have an adhesive-backed pad that bonds to the skin over a large area. The catheter is secured into or onto a catheter anchor designed for holding the catheter. These anchoring devices have various advantages over tape or sutures. However, engineering design challenges remain in providing reliable, secure and efficient anchoring devices. Further, because existing anchoring devices are generally designed for a specific type of catheter, multiple anchors may be needed to accommodate use of different types of catheters, e.g., in hospitals and clinical settings. This adds to the cost and complexity of sourcing, inventory, storage, and selection of the anchoring devices. Accordingly, improved anchoring devices are needed.